Lifestyle Changes & Conservative Solutions

If you’re suffering from varicose veins, you should definitely contact a vein doctor. Varicose veins are dense blood vessels that bulge out of your skin’s surface and look like thick, ropy veins. They’re usually caused by underlying vein disease, a circulatory disorder caused by malfunctioning vein valves. Since varicose veins are caused by damaged vein valves, the only way to treat the condition is with minimally invasive vein treatments. Lifestyle changes can alleviate some of the symptoms and prevent varicose veins from worsening.

Conservative solutions can alleviate some of the worst symptoms of vein disease, such as leg swelling and leg pain. But they can’t treat varicose veins or heal the damaged vein valves. We usually recommend lifestyle changes and conservative treatments to prevent varicose veins from worsening and to fulfill certain insurance requirements. Some insurance plans stipulate that you must undergo conservative treatments to become eligible for insurance coverage for minimally invasive procedures. If you have varicose veins, please contact our vein doctors.

Below, we describe the best conservative solutions to prevent vein disease from progressing.

Wear compression stockings regularly

Compression stockings are skin-tight garments that apply pressure on your leg veins. Wearing compression stockings regularly forces some of the accumulated blood to flow towards the heart, alleviating the symptoms of vein disease. Furthermore, compression stockings prevent more blood from accumulating in the leg veins, thus stopping the progress of vein disease.

Exercise regularly — running, swimming, and cycling

You must exercise regularly to alleviate the symptoms of vein disease. Running, cycling, swimming, and yoga are some of the best exercises for varicose veins because they improve blood circulation and engage your calf muscles, thus pushing more blood towards the heart. You should also walk regularly to improve your symptoms.

Elevate your legs while sitting down

You must elevate your legs above your heart’s level a few times a day. When you elevate your legs, gravity forces the blood accumulated in your leg veins to flow towards the heart, thus alleviating the symptoms of vein disease. You can also prop your legs up on a few pillows while sleeping to push the accumulated blood towards the heart.

Don’t sit or stand for long periods of time

If you have varicose veins or vein disease, you must avoid sitting or standing for long periods of time. If you sit or stand for long periods, blood accumulates in the leg veins because of gravity. If you have a desk job, take short breaks every 30 minutes to walk around the office and stretch your legs. That should keep your blood flowing smoothly.

How do I get rid of varicose veins on my legs? We describe the best treatments for varicose veins and chronic venous insufficiency in Maryland.

Minimally Invasive Treatments

The only way to remove varicose veins for good is through minimally invasive treatments. Your vein doctor must diagnose and treat the root cause of varicose veins (chronic venous insufficiency). After treating underlying vein disease, your vein doctor should use cutting-edge techniques to remove the superficial varicose veins and spider veins from your skin’s surface.

Endovenous Laser Ablation

Endovenous laser ablation is a minimally invasive procedure that involves using laser energy to collapse the diseased saphenous vein. The vein doctor inserts a laser fiber into the diseased vein under ultrasound guidance. The laser fiber generates laser energy to destroy the diseased vein, rerouting the accumulated blood into healthier leg veins.

Endovenous Radiofrequency Ablation

Endovenous radiofrequency ablation is a minimally invasive procedure that involves using radiofrequency waves to destroy the diseased vein responsible for your vein problems. The vein doctor inserts a specialized catheter into the diseased vein to generate radiofrequency waves that heat and destroy the problematic vein, restoring optimal blood circulation to the heart.

VenaSeal Closure System

VenaSeal is one of the latest minimally invasive treatments for varicose veins. The vein doctor uses ultrasound guidance to inject a medical-grade adhesive into the diseased vein. The vein glue seals the diseased vein’s walls, turning it into a hardened scar tissue eventually reabsorbed by the body. The accumulated blood flows into healthier veins.

ClariVein (Mechanochemical Ablation)

ClariVein, also known as mechanochemical ablation, is a minimally invasive procedure for large, tortuous varicose veins. The vein doctor inserts a specialized catheter with a rotating wire tip into the diseased vein to destroy its walls while injecting a sclerosant medicine. The diseased vein turns into scar tissues eventually metabolized by the body.

Ambulatory Phlebectomy

Ambulatory phlebectomy is one of the most effective minimally invasive procedures for superficial varicose veins. The vein doctor makes extremely small incisions on the skin’s surface to physically extract the unwanted varicose veins. The incision marks gradually heal and fade away from the skin’s surface, thus improving the appearance of your legs.

Sclerotherapy

Sclerotherapy is a minimally invasive procedure for spider veins. The vein doctor injects sclerosant medicine into spider veins to fuse their walls together, turning them into hardened scar tissues eventually reabsorbed by the body. The spider veins fade away from the skin’s surface over the next three weeks — this procedure is only suitable for small spider veins.

Contact Maryland Vein Clinic

Maryland Vein Clinic is a state-of-the-art vein clinic specializing in minimally invasive treatments for varicose veins and chronic venous insufficiency. We use the latest and safest techniques to treat varicose veins and the root cause, thus ensuring safe, consistent, and long-lasting results. You can find our vein clinic at 10215 Fernwood Rd, Suite 301, Bethesda, Maryland, just outside of Washington, DC, in Silver Spring. Please schedule an appointment to explore your varicose vein treatment options in Maryland.

Are you interested in getting more information about your condition or a treatment?
Fill the form below to start!

Your information is encrypted and secure. By registering, you confirm that you accept Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy